Anybody know the real reason for steam locomotive headlight visors? The purpose usually put forth is to disguise a train from aircraft (ala WW II blackouts), but the Frisco had headlight visors well before WWII!!?! Tom
Some current diesel locomotives with high mounted headlights have visors under the lights to keep glare from coming down onto the nose and front cab windows of the locomotives. I'm sure modern headlights put out more light than steam era lights did. The top mounted visor would stop glare from shining up and could even send more light down onto the right of way as intended. They could even stop light from hitting the steam and smoke coming from the smoke stack of a steam engine. Obviously the steam engine headlight would be a long way in front of the engineer and other crew members in the cab on the firebox end of a boiler. The Frisco was rather "frugal" so they surely wouldn't have spent money on the visors if they didn't provide some proven difference. Hope my babbling helps, Steve. Ship It on the Frisco!
